(BUSINESS MIRROR) Filing an awaited legislation by the elderly sector, Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada sought to frontload passage of the enabling legislation granting senior citizens separate additional 20-percent discount on travel tax to optimize leisure travel rights of senior citizens.
Moving to frontload its timely passage for the President to sign into law, Sen. Estrada expects elderly beneficiaries keenly awaiting passage of the enabling law that seeks to boost able elderly benefits.
The bill was filed to optimize leisure rights of senior citizens by granting them a 20-percent discount on travel tax so they can afford to travel in the country and abroad.
“Para sa mga kagaya ko na senior citizen na at nais na makapag-travel sa iba’t ibang lugar, maging sa ibang bansa, malaking bagay kung may diskwento sa mga gastusin nila lalong lalo na sa mga binabayarang buwis,” Estrada said. “Para sa mga ordinaryong senior citizens, ang matitipid nila ay maaari nilang ipangtustos sa iba pa nilang mga bayarin,” he added.
When he was still a senator, former President Joseph Estrada filed Senate Bill 2379 seeking to provide senior citizens a 20-percent discount on travel taxes. The measure sought to amend Section 4 and expand the coverage of Republic Act 7432, otherwise known as “An Act to Maximize the Contribution of Senior Citizens to Nation Building, Grant Benefits and Special Privileges and for other purposes” or the “Senior Citizens Act.”
As filed, the enabling legislation aims to “make travel more accessible and enjoyable, acknowledge the financial constraints faced by senior citizens due to retirement or their fixed incomes.”
In his earlier bill, former President Estrada explained that the proposed discount would “encourage the elderly to travel, explore new places, and experience different cultures, ultimately contributing to their overall quality of life.”
In his proposed measure, Senator Estrada emphasized that travel fosters social connections and engagement, which are vital for the mental and emotional well-being of senior citizens and their continued participation in national development.